All upazila hospitals to get modern pathology labs by this year: Health minister
The minister outlined plans to make healthcare more accessible at the grassroots level.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Sakhawat Husain has said the government will set up modern pathological laboratories in every upazila hospital across the country by the end of this year.
He also said dialysis services would be expanded in phases at district medical college hospitals, district hospitals and upazila hospitals to improve access to treatment for kidney patients.
Speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of the "Sustaining Play, Learning and Skills in Humanitarian Contexts (SPLASH)" programme, organised by BRAC and the Lego Foundation at Hotel Sonargaon in Dhaka today (13 July), he said imports of equipment required for the modern pathology laboratories would begin this month.
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On expanding dialysis services, Sakhawat said district medical college hospitals would receive 50 dialysis beds each, while district hospitals and upazila hospitals would each be equipped with 10 dialysis beds, enabling patients to receive treatment closer to home.
The minister also outlined plans to make healthcare more accessible at the grassroots level. Under the initiative, trained midwives and caregivers will visit households with specialised screening devices to conduct basic health check-ups.
Birth control campaign, upazila hospitals to get upgrades
The minister said the government would intensify family planning activities to curb the country's rising population growth rate.
He said efforts would be made to ensure the availability of contraceptives, particularly in rural areas, to bring population growth to a manageable level.
Highlighting the government's plans to modernise upazila hospitals, Sakhawat said facilities that were initially established with 31 beds and later upgraded to 50 beds would now be expanded to 101 beds.
The upgraded hospitals will also include breastfeeding corners, prayer rooms, modern pathology departments and kidney dialysis centres, he added.
Five-year SPLASH programme
At the event, BRAC and the Lego Foundation launched the five-year SPLASH programme, which aims to provide play-based learning, psychosocial support and skills development to around 400,000 children and adolescents affected by conflict, displacement and humanitarian crises in Bangladesh and Uganda.
According to the organisers, more than 47.3 crore children worldwide currently live in humanitarian settings, while over 5.2 crore remain out of school.
Supported through a $50 million partnership, the programme will also strengthen the capacity of parents, teachers and local communities.
In Bangladesh, the first phase of the project will run from June 2026 to December 2028.
It will offer age-appropriate education, life skills, vocational training, mentorship, and livelihood opportunities for children and adolescents from birth to age 18, while promoting play-based learning in refugee camps and host communities.
Among others, NGO Affairs Bureau Director General (Secretary) Dr Mohammad Zakaria, BRAC Executive Director Asif Saleh and LEGO Foundation Vice President and Head of International Programmes Tarek Alami also spoke at the event, alongside senior government officials, development partners and BRAC representatives.
